Once Bitten, Twice Shy
by dragons-temper
Summary: Doesn't follow the books, Voldemort is killed in the middle of Hermione's sixth year. Hermione returns home for summer vacation questioning how well she really knows Harry and Ron. Hermione gets a make over of sorts and doesn't go to the Burrow for the su


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the series' charters and/or plots. Please don't sue, all you could possibly get out of it would be 8 cents, a doggy with a bad temper and jealous streak and a couple cats. One of which has a problem with drooling whenever he purrs :S.

A/N: This story doesn't follow the books so if that bothers you oh well I guess. I have no idea where this is going to go or what's going to happen in it so yeah…no summary will be accurate.

Chapter one.

Hermione Granger scanned the crowd of people on the platform as she stepped off the Hogwarts Express. She saw her parents standing next to her friends Ronald and Harry, along with Ron's mother and father, Molly and Arthur Weasley.

"Hey Hermione," Harry greeted as she approached the group.

"Hey Harry," Hermione replied. "Ready to go to the Dursley's for the summer?"

When she said this Harry screwed up his face and gave her a strange look. Noticing this Hermione winched in sympathy.

"Well think of it this way Harry, this will be the last summer you will have to spend with them. Next summer we'll have graduated from Hogwarts and you can get a flat and move out."

"Yeah that's true," Harry said perking up a bit.

"Hermione, say your goodbye's quickly please. We have to hurry and go, your father has a couple appointments this afternoon," Hermione's mother told her before hurrying after her husband.

"Well I guess I have to get going," Hermione said hurriedly as she stiffly gave Harry and Ron a hug, "Make sure both of you write, won't you?"

"I won't, you know I won't," Ron said looking at Hermione with an amused expression.

"I will if the Dursley's haven't barred my window so Hedwig can get the message to you," Harry promised. Glancing around he noticed the dwindling number of people on the platform, "you had better hurry Hermione. Your parents are probably waiting for you."

"Yes, have a good summer," Hermione called over her shoulder as she ran after her parents. I hope this summer will be awesome and make me forget what happened this year.

A couple days later…

Hermione was lounging outside her family's new house by their pool reading a new muggle book she had bought the previous day, when something hit the water and splashed her. Gasping, she sat up and looked around to see what hit the water, noticing a white ball floating in the middle of it. She laid her book out in the sun to dry off before she stood up and stretched out her muscles.

Just as she was going to get the net for cleaning the pool to retrieve the ball she heard the door bell ring. Sighing she went inside to answer the front door. Before she opened the door she looked down at her clothes grimacing slightly as she saw that the water had made her look like she wet herself. Praying that whoever it was wouldn't notice she swallowed and opened the door to reveal five very pretty girls who looked to be about her age.

Oh god! I look like such a fool, Hermione thought quickly. "Hello, can I help you with something?" she asked, trying not to blush at her appearance compared to the other girls'.

"Hi! I'm Natalie, you must be my new neighbor," said an enthusiastic girl who stood about 5'6" and had medium long light brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Hi, my name's Hermione."

"I'm sorry but I was wondering if our volleyball went into your backyard," Natalie said explaining why the girls were there.

"Oh yes, it's floating around in the pool. I was rather startled when it landed there and splashed me."

"Oh! We're sorry about that…my name is Shaylee," said the girl with long copper hair and blue eyes.

Hermione smiled at the girls and laughed, "That's alright…it's just water, I'll dry off soon enough. If you want you may all come in and out back to get the ball or if you prefer you could wait here."

Natalie looked at her friends and smiled, "If you don't mind, we'll come in. I've always wanted to see more of this place…you're so lucky to have a pool."

"No problem. It is a very nice house," Hermione commented as she led the group of girls through the foyer to the family room, which had double French doors leading out into the back yard.

"I love your house Hermione, oh and my name's Danika," the girl with long golden blonde hair complimented, looking around happily with her soft green eyes. "The other two are Pamela and Rosalie."

"Thank you and it's nice to meet you," Hermione smiled at the girls as they neared the pool's edge. "I'll just grab the net and get you, your ball back."

As soon as Hermione disappeared into the shed at the very back of the yard the five friends started talking at once.

"She seems really nice, a little lonely but nice all the same," Rosalie commented to her friends.

"Yeah and she seems like one of the brainy students, not that that's a bad thing…just might be why she's lonely and spending the summer alone. I wonder where she's going to go to school," Pamela added.

"Maybe we should invite her to spend the summer with us," Natalie thought out loud. "When my parents had a barbeque to welcome her family to the neighbor hood we found out that she's an only child, she goes to school somewhere in Scotland for some reason and she had a falling out with her friends this past year."

The girls laughed at Natalie, who looked at them weirdly.

"What?" Natalie cried indignantly.

"Its nothing," Shaylee got out between giggles. "It's just that if we ever want to know anything about anyone in this neighbor hood, all we have to do is ask you."

"So, we all agree to invite Hermione to join us for the summer?" Danika asked quickly as Hermione started making her way back over towards the group of girls. She looked around the group and smiled as everyone nodded. This should be an awesome summer, Danika thought as Hermione gave them their ball back and agreed to join the girls for the summer.

Two weeks later found Hermione being dragged into the mall by five hyper and bouncing girls. After having taught Hermione the finer points of volleyball, as well as how to control her hair and how to correctly apply make up, the girls thought it was time her wardrobe got a make over as well. Danika insisted on being responsible for the shopping bill and all the girls had insisted that they would pick out the clothes, after Hermione had embarrassedly said that she didn't have the money and had no fashion sense.

Hermione was nervous about the kind of clothes the girls were going to pick out. Her five new friends wore clothing that clung and revealed way more than hers did. She didn't think there was anything wrong with her clothes as they were though, but Shaylee insisted that Hermione was very pretty when she did her hair and make up and her "plain" clothes just didn't compliment her at all.

Five hours later saw all the girls piling into Natalie's and Pamela's cars, on their way back Hermione's place so the girls could change and then go out to some of the popular hang outs where they could mingle with kids their own age.

Hermione quickly jumped out of the car she was in when they reached her place.

"While you guys get your clothes from Nat's, I'm just going to double check that it's okay for you guys to come over and get ready then spend the night with my parents first. I'll come back out for you after I've talked to my mum and dad." As she said that Hermione walked into her house and quickly ran up to her room, took out a piece of parchment and quill to quickly write a short letter and send the letter and package off with her owl. When she was done that she ran back downstairs quickly double checked with her mom that it was ok for her friends to stay the night and then went to tell the girls that it was okay for them to stay.

Mean while elsewhere in England…

Harry looked up as a strange barn owl flew into his room through the open window and dropped a package and letter in his lap. Anxious for some contact with the wizarding world he put aside the package, tore open the envelope and quickly read the letter.

_Dear Harry,_

_Sorry I haven't written you a letter before now but I have been busy. How is your summer going? The Dursley's aren't being too terrible are they? If they have been I'm sorry. Are you going to the Weasley's for the last month of summer vacation? You should, it will get you out of the Dursley's house sooner. I'm not going though…I have too much to do around our house. I have to get going…I hope you like your present. Ever since our falling out I have realized that I don't know you or Ron as well as I thought or would have liked too. _

_All the best on your Birthday,_

_Hermione._

Harry set aside the letter from his friend and carefully opened the box. He looked confused as he took out a plain leather bound book and flipped it open. He gasped in surprise when he noticed that it wasn't an educational book as he would have expected from his brainy friend, but a photo album instead.

Just as he was going to continue looking at the album something small hit him in the center of his chest. Harry looked down at his best friend Ron's owl Pig, who was sitting in his lap with a parcel as well. Harry shifted to put Hermione's gift aside unsettling Pig which caused him to fly around the room, hitting various objects and spots in the wall.

It took Harry an hour to catch the small owl and send him back to his owner with a reply as to whether or not he was going to the Burrow for the last month of summer holidays.

_Ron,_

_Of course I'll come to the Burrow for August. I'd have to be a bloody fool not to! Did Hermione say why she wasn't going? All she told me was that she was busy. Can you guys be here by 7am? It's ok if you can't…I just want to get out of this house as soon as possible. See you tomorrow,_

_Harry._

Of course Harry was going to the Burrow. There was no way that he was going to stay with his aunt, uncle and cousin one more minute than absolutely necessary. After admiring the gifts from Hermione, Ron and Ron's little sister Ginny, Harry sat staring out the window wondering what was keeping Hermione so busy this summer that she didn't have time to come to the Burrow. As he kept thinking it didn't surprise him anymore that she was not going, after the way everyone had treated her he didn't blame her for not wanting to go and spend a month with them.

Flash back…

It was in the middle of their sixth year and two weeks before Voldemort's demise. Hermione was found next to the body of a Slytherin student who's parents were known followers of the dark lord. When Harry, Ron and the rest of the student body on the side of the light found out they had all turned against her. Calling her rude names and being extremely mean to the poor witch was only the beginning. Every chance someone got they would do something horrible to her purposely. It got to the point where Hermione was given her own quarters away from everyone else. Except for classes she would never venture out of her rooms. She had even taken her meals there and was given special permission to be late for class and to leave early so as to avoid the majority of the student body. It wasn't until after Voldemort's demise that everyone had learned that the Slytherin was a spy and that Hermione was their contact.

End Flashback

Looking at the clock on his bedside table he noticed it was 9:12 pm. Well I had better get going to bed…I leave for the Weasley's in the morning as soon as I'm ready and I want to be ready extremely early so I can leave this place, Harry thought as he made his way to his bed. He couldn't help feeling guilty as he thought about all the mean things he, Ron and Ginny had done to Hermione. I mean I should feel guilty. What kinds of friends turn their backs' on their friend before even finding out all the facts? Look at everything Hermione has stood by me and Ron through. She never questioned anything…just trusted, helped and supported us through everything. Even when she hadn't been sure what we were doing was the right thing.

Harry slowly drifted off to sleep thinking of all the things they had done wrong and trying to think up ways to get Hermione to totally forgive them.

The girls called their goodbyes to Hermione's parents as they left the house. Hermione sat in the front seat of Natalie's car nervously tweaking her outfit as she remembered what the other girls were wearing. Natalie's slender 5'6" frame was nothing to frown upon. The volleyball player's lean muscles were enhanced by her tight periwinkle camisole with a modest v-shape and lace bordering the top and bottom hems that fell to the middle of her hips. The camisole was compliment by a pair of dove grey yoga pants. Her medium length brown hair was brushed straight with a hint of mousse in it so it wouldn't frizz and curled inwards along with her long bangs to frame her oval face. Her makeup was done simply, a little light blue eye shadow with a blue mascara and blue eyeliner, a pale pink blush and gloss. She had on white cross trainers, large silver hoops and bangles, along with a silver moon necklace to complete her outfit.

Shaylee had her long copper hair elegantly pulled back into a tight French braid, with a ringlet falling free on each side. She accented her blue eyes with baby blue eye shadow and mascara on and had done her blue eyeliner to make it look like she had cat eyes. She put on a hint of blush and a clear gloss. Shaylee was wearing a black one piece dress that had a halter style top that was cinched below her bust with a tie and sequences and a chiffon like skirt that started at the top of her hips and fell to her knees. She had on strappy black 2" sandals that made her stand 5'8", gold star earrings, bangles and necklace with a gold heart locket on it.

Danika was wearing a rather revealing maroon halter style top that had no back. It had the halter style piece of fabric around the neck coming down to cover each of her breasts held together by a silver ring in the middle of her chest at the bottom of her breast bone. From there ties went down along the bottom of her ribcage that tied at the top most part of her lower back. She had on black hipster boot cut jeans and 2" heel black suede boots. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a half pony tail held with a jeweled butterfly clip, leaving a few stray tendrils to fall down around her face. She had a light green eye shadow that complimented her green eyes perfectly. Other than she only had a hint of eyeliner, mascara and blush and had a nice light maroonish shade of lipstick.

Pamela stood half an inch above her normal height of 5'5". She was wearing dark stonewash low rise, boot cut blue jeans, a black corset style tube top with baby pink lacing with her black boots. She had her long light brown hair pulled up into a pony tail with stray tendrils around her face and neck and had curled her long bangs. She had blended her makeup excellently. She had various shades of pink and light reds giving her a "smoky eyed" look, with pink blush and a medium pink lipstick with a clear gloss as well. She had on a black velvet choker with a silver cat pendant hand down in the hollow of her throat, silver bangles and silver cat earrings.

Rosalie had on a red low v-cut halter top with silver sequins around the top and low rise medium stone wash blue jeans with a pair on nice black sandals. She had done her long redish brown hair up in twin French braids that fell down her back. For her makeup she had decided to go with the "natural" look opting only for hints of eyeliner, mascara and a clear gloss. She completed her outfit with plain ruby studs and a gold necklace with a heat shaped pendant studded with small diamonds.

After looking around at the other girls' outfits, Hermione self consciously tugged at her top and jeans a bit. She was wearing a light sea foam green colored halter style top that dipped down to the bottom of her rib cage with a short matching tube top under it pinned so it pulled up beneath her breasts with a diamond studded pin. She also had on distressed light stone wash low rise jeans with a pinched seam running down her legs in the middle and back of her legs, down to her 1" sea foam green sandals. Her normally frizzy brown hair was tamed to soft curls and elegantly half pinned up and half down. Pamela had done her make up as a combination of all the girls'. She had hazy green "smoky" cat eyes, with a light blush and light brownish color gloss. She had on a gold teddy bear pendant with gold whoops and bangles.

Noticing her friend's anxiety when they got out of the car at the club, Danika patter her back as they approached the doors.

"You look gorgeous," Rosalie complimented trying to put her friend at ease who was clearly not at all familiar with the club scene.

"Yeah, defiantly knock out material," Natalie added with a sly wink as she held open the door for the girls to enter.

As Hermione followed Pamela and Shaylee into the club heard loud music and as she progressed farther into the club she saw lots of people out on the dance floor having a good time.

Shaylee lead the group to one of the tables in the far back corner where the music was slightly quieter but not by much. As soon as they got to their table the waitress was there taking their order. While Natalie and Pamela only ordered sodas, the other girls ordered coolers for themselves and one for Hermione.

When her drink got there she had just stared at it, she didn't know how she was going to handle her alcohol or what it will taste like.

"It will taste good, trust me," Danika said as she took a drink.

Following her example Hermione took a drink of her cooler and was surprised it tasted nothing at all like the fire whiskey that her and Ginny once snuck a drink of. When the drinks were about half way gone Natalie and Rosalie drug her up to dance on the speakers with them as Danika and Shaylee danced on the other speaker, while Pamela opted out to sit and watch their purses.

After they were done dancing on the speakers the five girls met up on the dance floor and started dancing there. Much to Hermione's horror about 5 minutes after they started dancing on the floor a group of 8 guys came up to them and started dancing with them.

"Who's your friend?" the guy that was dancing with Shaylee asked.

"This is Hermione, everyone. She moved in next door to me," Natalie introduced her.

All the names and faces were a blur to Hermione. Pamela had joined the group too, bringing the girls their drinks and stuff so she could dance too. When one guy started to dance with her she jumped, she had realized that her friend's had paired off and were dancing with one of the guys, but she was used to being over looked so she was surprised..

"Hey cutie," the guy with short wavy brown hair had said. "My name's Chris. You probably don't remember who we all are but don't worry about it."

"Thanks, I'm not generally bad with names or faces but tonight for some reason I am," Hermione admitted as she blushed sheepishly.

Chris laughed at that. "Well liquor can do all sorts of funny things to a person," he had commented nodding to the almost empty bottle in her hand as they continued dancing.

After hours of flirting and dancing it was just about one am before the girls left the club slightly tipsy, after some thought the girls just agreed to get a taxi cab to Hermione's so all of them could drink together then just go and pick up their vehicles in the morning.

Stumbling into Hermione's house the girls started giggling as they tried desperately to be quiet so as not to wake up her parents. The harder they tried to stay quiet the louder the giggling got, until they gave up and ran to Hermione's room where all their things were.

After getting changed they sat up talking for a while and then wandered down to the guest rooms where they were staying for the night. Hermione yawned as she laid down in her bed and looked at the clock. Almost 3am, she thought. I hope that we all sleep in tomorrow. With that thought she slowly drifted off to sleep thinking about all the fun she had had that day, and most importantly thinking of Chris…

AN: Please review. Begs I know this story sucks but yeah…oh well..I have no idea where this is going so bare with me…

Nanda.


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